Feels Like Home
by Gwendolyn James
Summary: She was his friend, but she was so much more. When had it changed? When had she become the person in his dreams? One-shot.


Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: This little flufflet is dedicated to my fellow stalker, Rianna Potter, and the rest of the HMS Gryffindor Pride. There shall be a lack of H/G no more, my friends!

* * *

Today was the day. Today he would tell her. He would finally gather up the remains of his courage and tell her how he felt. 

He was scared to death. Scared, but excited.

How could a few simple words be so incredibly difficult? He could just imagine the scene. He would stand in front of her, speech prepared… and then he would look into her eyes and suddenly become a babbling idiot. Well, maybe not so suddenly.

Whenever he looked at her, he would get completely tongue-tied. It didn't matter when or where – he was just an absolute moron when it came to talking to her. It hadn't always been that way. At first, she had just been another girl, a friend – Ron's sister. But now…

Now he didn't know what to do with himself when he was around her. She was his friend, but she was so much more. When had it changed? When had she become the person in his dreams?

He walked down the corridor with a silly grin on his face. He was nearly giddy with the potential of their coming conversation. Somehow he would get over his nervousness. He had battled trolls and Dark Lords – certainly he could handle one beautiful girl, even if she _did_ make his insides turn to mush.

He turned a corner and froze. He would recognize her voice anywhere. His heart sped up and his hands began to sweat. This was it. He would tell her now.

"Honestly, Hermione, I'm completely over him."

He heard the disbelief in his friend's tone. "Gin, are you sure? I mean, you've loved him since… well, since _forever_!"

"Yeah, and look where it's gotten me! Nowhere!" she scoffed. "Believe me, I have absolutely no feelings left for Harry Potter. None."

He felt a wave of nausea smack him hard in the face. She was _over_ him. It had taken him years to finally figure out exactly what he felt for her, and now she was _over_ him. It felt as though someone had kicked him in the gut and then taken a knife to his chest.

This couldn't be happening. He had been so sure that she would return his feelings. So sure, in fact, that he had told Ron about it and had even let Ron rant and rave at him to get it out of his system.

But he had been wrong. So wrong. She didn't feel the same. She didn't feel _anything_.

* * *

She sat by herself, pretending to read – pretending not to see him. It was a difficult task when all she really wanted to do was throw herself at him.

But how would _that_ look?

Merlin, she could just imagine his expression. Revulsion. Confusion. Pity. She couldn't bear the thought of it. Why put herself through that?

So instead, she would sit here and_ pretend_ that she was fine on her own. Because no matter what she had said to Hermione, she would never stop loving him.

* * *

As he watched her close her book and leave the Common Room, his heart felt weighed down. What was the point anymore? What was the purpose of pretending that everything was fine?

Everything was most certainly _not_ fine.

He lowered his head onto his hands and sighed. He was a mess inside. _I'm completely over him… I have absolutely no feelings for Harry Potter._ Her words echoed in his mind, and he couldn't escape.

He had lost her before he'd even _had_ her. How pathetic.

* * *

Tears stung her cheeks as the wind whipped through her hair. She knew it was stupid to be outside on a day like this, but she had to get away.

Rain poured down upon her as dark clouds gathered in the sky. She stood at the edge of the lake and watched the churning waters, tossed about by the coming storm. The sight matched her mood perfectly – dark, gloomy, chaotic, agitated.

Why did it have to be so difficult? Maybe she really _should_ forget about him. Stupid prat.

She laughed against her tears. Crying over a _boy_? How nauseating. There had to be a better way.

Holding up the hem of her robes, she kicked off her shoes and stepped into the pitching waves, enjoying its cold sting against her bare skin. Throwing back her head, she laughed loud and hard, amused by the pure insanity of it all.

She refused to be one of those girls who mooned over hopeless love. She might have done it in the past, but not now. Not anymore.

She would be free of him, once and for all.

* * *

His vision blurred, the words on the page swimming in front of his eyes. He should just forget about studying for now.

He stood and moved toward the stairs. As he passed the window, something caught his eye.

She was standing in the lake, her arms stretched high above her head, fiery hair whipping around her, seemingly lost in herself.

He dropped his book and took off at a dead run.

* * *

Someone was screaming her name.

At first she thought she was imagining things, but as it grew louder and closer, she realized that someone indeed was calling her.

She turned around just as he came barreling towards her. As he drew closer, his foot slipped on the wet grass, and he slammed into her. They both tumbled into the dark water and came up sputtering.

"Harry, you idiot! What are you trying to do?"

"Don't do it, Gin," he panted, wiping water from his face. "Please don't do it."

She scowled, fully aware of how ridiculous she looked, sitting in the shallow water, wet hair plastered to her face. "Don't do _what_, exactly?"

He paused. "Don't… well… I thought…"

"Thought _what_?"

"I thought you were going to kill yourself," he muttered sheepishly.

"So you thought you'd come and help me finish the job?" She pushed herself to her feet and ignored his outstretched hand, stomping onto the soggy bank instead.

"No!" he insisted, following her out of the lake. "I was trying to save you!"

She laughed at that, ignoring the rain that continued to pour down around them. She was already drenched, anyway. "Harry, why on earth would I want to kill myself?"

He frowned, clearly upset that she found this amusing. "Well, why on earth would you be standing in the middle of the bloody lake during a storm? For the love of Merlin, Ginny! What were you thinking?"

She laughed again. "I wanted to get away."

"So get away somewhere non life-threatening!"

"Fine. Next time I'll ask your permission before I jump into the lake."

He glared at her. "Why do you find this so entertaining?"

"Why _don't_ you find this entertaining?"

"Because you _scared_ me, Ginny!"

This sobered her. "You were scared for me? Really?"

"Yes! Of course, I was!"

"Why?" she asked, wiping the rain from her eyes – she needed to see his face. "Why were you scared for me, Harry?"

* * *

He reached out and took her hand, praying that she wouldn't notice how much he was shaking. He didn't care what she'd told Hermione – he _needed_ to touch her, _needed_ to tell her. Even if she rejected him.

Surely there was _some_ measure of courage left inside of him.

She was looking at him with those big, brown eyes. His stomach twisted and he gripped her hand more tightly.

_Just say it. Tell her._

"Harry?"

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I was scared because I don't want to lose you, Ginny. I… I love you."

Silence. He didn't dare open his eyes.

* * *

She watched him struggle to get the words out, watched him squeeze his eyes shut, watched him fight to maintain control.

And she laughed. A carefree, blissful laugh that opened his eyes and brought them to hers. She could see the confusion in their green depths and determined to set the record straight.

She threw her arms around his neck and laughed again, rain mingling with her tears. "I love you, too, Harry! I love you!"

The delight on his face was worth the wait. So was his kiss.

FIN


End file.
